Half to william b



(No Model.)

0. L. HIGGINS.

BOOK LEAP HOLDER.

No. 457,764. Patented Aug. 11,1891.

THE name vans 0a.. PHOTO-H1710, msnmcmm, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. HIGGINS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILLIAM B. CARTER, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOK-LEAF HOLDER.

forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,764, dated August 11, 1891.

Application fi Ap 1891. Serial No. 387,343. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: to bring the part H against the leaves of a Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. HIGGINS, a book, as seen in Fig. V, the clamp B is the citizen of the United States, and a resident of fulcrum from which the spring bears. 55

Springfield, county of Hampden, and State of In operation the clamp part of the device Massachusetts, have invented a new and useis secured to the top of one of the backs of ful Book-Leaf Holder, of which the following the book, and the book being opened the is a specification. arm D is swung from a position clear of the My invention relates to mechanism adapted. book, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. V, to 60 to be combined with the back of a book, to have the finger-piece H sprung over the to hold the book distended with its leaves fiat leaves. The edges of the clamp-jaws are together when the book is open; and the inbeveled to facilitate their adjustment to the ventiou consists in the combination and conbook-back and to obviate the danger of instruction, as hereinafter described, and more juring the back in placing the clamp, and 65 particularly pointed out in the claim. the finger-piece H is also adapted by its conr 5 My invention is fully illustrated in the acfiguration, as shown, to pass over the leaves companying drawings, in which-- without catching against them. The hasp Figure Iis a plan View of my device demovement of the arm D enables it to be tached. Fig. 11 is a side view of my device quickly swung clear of the book when it is 70 detached. Fig. III is an end view of the desired to turn a leaf, and from the flat 2o clamp. Fig. IV is an end View of a modifishape of the arm and finger-piece in one cation of the same, and Fig. V is a plan view plane they may be swung, as indicated in of the device combined with a book and in dotted lines, Fig. V, to lie between the flyoperation. leaf and the back of the book, to thus enable 75 In the drawings, 13 is a clamp adapted to the book to be closed and restored to its place pass over one back of a book to inclose said on the shelf or in the library, having the de-- back between the jaws thereof. The clamp vice attached and ready'for future use. Bis preferably made a spring-clamp, so as In practice the arm and finger-piece are to maintain its position when sprung over formed of spring-wire, and the finger-piece 80 the back I) of a book, or release itself upon is made of wire small enough to rest between the unscrewing of the clamp nut or screw, as the lines of print or the bars of music without shown more particularly in the detail views, obstructing the view. Figs. III and IV. Projecting above the up- Now having described my invention, What per jaw of the clamp B and secured to the I claim is 8 clamp is a screw-stem O, and seated upon the The within-described improved book-leaf clamp and hinged upon the screw 0 is a holder, consisting of a clamp B, adapted to spring-arm D, having one end formed into pass over and inclose between its -jaws one an eye to inclose the screw-stem, as shown of the covers of a book, a screw-stein G, exin dotted lines, Fig. I. The arm D is bent tending transversely to the clamp and se- 00 approximately at right angles, and its free cured thereto, an angular spring-arm D, end is provided with a cross-piece H, forming hinged at one end to the screw-stem 0, proin efiect two fingers for hearing against the vided upon its free end with a finger-piece H two leaves of an open book. A thumb-nut I for bearing upon the leaves and having itspasses over the screw 0 and incloses the eye spring acting in the direction to normally 5 of the arm D between it and the upper surbear the finger-piece H below the plane of its face of the clamp. hinge, and a nut I for holding the arm D to As shown in Fig. II, the curve of the a bearing upon'the clamp, all combined and spring-arm D, when the device is detached, operating as and for the purpose set forth. brings the fingers below the plane of its hinge, so that its spring is exerted upon the CHARLES L. HIGGINS.

surface on which the fingers bear above said Witnesses:

plane, which surface would be the leaves of R. F. HYDE, an open book, and when the arm D is sprung PENN TYLER. 

